Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: On the Way to the East (5)
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Galen left the Mercenary Guild and headed straight for the Doris Merchant House headquarters.
Mentioning Doni's name got him there without issue. Doni happened to be handling business at the company at the time.
"We meet again so soon, Lord Galen!"
"It turned out that way. Still working at this hour?"
"All done now. If you don't have anything special planned, how about I treat you to dinner?"
"Sounds good to me."
Galen was the one getting the free meal, yet Doni seemed even happier about it. They settled on a high-class restaurant for dinner, no less impressive than the inn he'd recommended.
He must have built up not just experience but a fair bit of wealth to be considered mid-tier. It had been nearly a month since leaving the Narok Family, and the lavish meal was deeply satisfying.
Conversations flowed: how nice it was to be back after so long, stories from other merchants, reports to the company's higher-ups about Galen, and so on.
Galen, who had mostly been listening, gradually took up the speaking role.
"You met Lady Lilia?"
"Yes. I stopped by the Mercenary Guild and ran into her by chance."
"Not surprising. Today was when the regular ship arrived, so she must have come with it."
"I was a bit shocked when she immediately pitched the commission to me on first meeting."
"It's famous knowledge that she's looking for a mage. At least among people who might swing by the Mercenary Guild once in a while."
Doni spun a far richer and deeper tale than the brief rundown Galen had gotten from the guild staff.
"Rumors had been circulating for a few years. A beautiful girl dressed in gray ascetic robes, wandering around performing miracles."
"Hard to miss in a getup like that. Did it stay just rumors?"
Galen asked with keen interest.
Ascetics belonged to the church but weren't clerics. Their top priority, naturally, was becoming clerics.
The first of the ten miracles clerics wielded was called the Stigma. It meant the mark of holy power.
Once holy power began to dwell in one's body, it manifested as a trace through the irises. No matter the original eye color, a subtle golden light would swirl and overlay it. That was why Lilia's eyes had truly sparkled.
For ascetics who hadn't fully accepted holy power yet, the gold flickered unstably or lacked clear radiance. Completing the Stigma miracle meant they were ready to properly wield holy power, granting them true cleric qualifications.
Put another way, ascetics had no real abilities beyond their eyes glowing a bit—and even that imperfectly. They were hardly what you'd call capable, even politely.
And yet one was out performing miracles with striking looks to boot? No wonder it became a hot topic.
"The church denied it, but what can you do? They probably tried to keep it under wraps until she could be canonized as a saint."
"For protection's sake, that might've been best. She's awfully young."
"But starting last year, she began operating publicly. Rumor has it Lilia threw such a fit that the church couldn't hold her back anymore..."
Doni whispered the latter part, lowering his voice.
"Anyway, even though she received her priestly ordination this year, Lady Lilia was already famous before that. Both for her talents and her looks."
"Any rumors about her personality? She struck me as a bit... unique in our brief chat."
"I've never spoken to her myself, but... she's said to be kind, if a little eccentric."
"Not negative, then?"
"Never heard anything bad."
"Good enough."
Galen nodded. Even if the commission seemed haphazard, a solid client made it worthwhile.
The rest he could judge after meeting them in person, regardless of others' opinions.
*
The next day.
After a sound sleep in the plush bed, Galen felt invigorated. He enjoyed the inn's excellent breakfast before leisurely heading to the church.
This world's churches barely functioned as religious gathering halls for scripture and prayer like on Earth. They were too busy for that.
They were chaotic hubs cramming in government offices, funeral homes, hospitals, orphanages—everything under the sun.
Weddings there, funerals handled there, seek a priest for serious illness, feed the starving, care for orphans... you name it, they did it.
In a world where empires and kingdoms existed only in history books, replaced by city-states, the church was the one truly global organization.
That didn't mean perfect harmony across every diocese worldwide, but loose ties were ties nonetheless. When the church flexed, wiping out a single family was child's play.
Especially in a frontier city like Abaca, the church's influence loomed large. With people dying and getting injured daily in the pioneer lands, clerics had endless work. In fact, Abaca's diocese was the largest in the entire east.
Perhaps fittingly, Abaca's church was so grand it blurred the line between cathedral and mansion. Massive buildings sprawled across vast grounds.
The Mercenary Guild had simply said to come to the church and meet her in person, but arriving revealed no guards and civilians coming and going freely. Galen had no clue where to start.
What even to ask? As he awkwardly scanned the surroundings, he heard—
"Huh?"
A cleric in white robes hurrying somewhere.
Of course the church had clerics, but this was a familiar face: Jenny from yesterday. Galen quickly followed her.
"Excuse me."
"Yes? What is it?"
Jenny stopped and turned, blinking. She soon recognized Galen.
"Ah, you're the brother from the Mercenary Guild yesterday, right?"
"That's me. Sorry to bother you, but do you know where I can find Lady Lilia?"
"Here for the commission?"
"Yes."
Jenny sighed as soon as Lilia's name came up and Galen admitted it freely.
"I told you yesterday: look into it more and think it over."
"I did that and came back. I want to talk to the one who posted it some more."
"...I wish you'd just talk and leave. Problem is, no one who comes here does."
Jenny shook her head and turned.
"You'd find someone else to ask anyway. I'll guide you. Follow me."
"Thank you."
Galen bowed slightly and trailed after her.
The grounds were vast, but knowing the way made it quick. They arrived at a spacious, modestly arranged courtyard-like area.
Three tents, fronts half-open. Inside, desks and chairs were visible, along with white and gray robes.
People lined up on one side entered the tents one by one. Seeing their slightly awkward gaits, Galen realized what this was.
"A clinic."
Clerics as doctors, ascetics as nurses, laborers, guards, and more.
Jenny nodded, eyeing the tents.
"Yes. Sister Lilia's been out here volunteering since morning."
"Volunteering?"
"She came out on her own to help at the clinic without being asked, so yes. There she is. Go on."
Jenny pointed to the right tent where Lilia was. Galen thanked her and approached.
A patient finishing treatment emerged just as he arrived. Lilia's voice followed.
"Next, please!"
Galen crossed paths with the patient and entered the tent.
Three people inside the simply furnished exam room.
The politely standing ascetic aside, the cleric in the corner chair seemed antsy, like Lilia had taken his spot and he was itching to get back to lounging.
"Ah, it's that brother from yesterday!"
Lilia beamed with bright energy. Galen returned a casual greeting.
"Good morning."
"Good morning to you too, brother! Where does it hurt?"
"Not here for treatment. About the commission you—"
"You've decided to take it?!"
Before he could finish, Lilia shot up from her seat. Her eyes sparkled so fiercely it seemed they'd shoot beams.
As Galen tried to continue—
"Hey, mister. You can't just cut in line like that so boldly. It was my turn next."
A rough-looking man slapped a hand on Galen's shoulder from behind, growling. Galen turned to face him.
"Ah, he's not a patient. Could you wait aside just a moment?"
Before the ascetic could intervene at the sign of trouble, Lilia spoke. The first part to the man, the second to Galen.
Not bold enough to ignore a priestess, the man glared at Galen before removing his hand. Galen let it slide for now. Annoying as the interruption was, it did look like cutting.
Once the minor commotion settled, Lilia resumed the exam.
"Brother, where does it hurt?"
"My back's been bothering me. Uncomfortable when swinging a sword."
"Any recent injuries? Sword, spear, arrow. Or hit by a fiend?"
"Uh, no... nothing special... just uncomfortable..."
"Hmm. Then lie face down on the table. Take off your armor up top."
Lilia had the man lie prone on the desk. She lifted his shirt, examined the skin, then said,
"No visible wounds. I'll press around now—tell me if it hurts!"
"Ugh! Urgh! Ack!"
A pure white light enveloped Lilia's fingertips. She prodded the man's back here and there. He groaned each time.
After a bit, Lilia tilted her head.
"Brother, does it really hurt?"
"...What're you saying?"
"You're reacting the same even on spots that shouldn't hurt?"
"It hurts, so I say it hurts."
"No issues with bones or muscles. And no recent injuries! Maybe you got a crick from passing out drunk?"
"Isn't that a bit harsh to someone who came for treatment? I said it hurts!"
The man suddenly raised his voice, perhaps hit a nerve. But Lilia's tone stayed innocently cheerful.
"Brother, this clinic is for treating people who truly hurt. Coming when you don't wastes holy power needed for real patients! Are you sure it hurts?"
"Ah, no... I..."
"So you did drink?"
"Well..."
The man trailed off.
Obvious as it was, Lilia waited for him to admit it himself. Very priestly, but Galen found it frustrating to watch. He chimed in bluntly.
"People behind are waiting, so answer quick. Yes or no to drinking. What's so hard?"
"Who're you to boss me around?!"
The flustered man turned his ire on Galen. Instead of arguing, Galen pointed a finger at him.
Whoosh!
A jet of water shot from his fingertip, shaping into a drill. It struck before the prone man could dodge.
"Heek?!"
The man squeezed his eyes shut with a yelp, then cautiously peeked, flinching. The elongated water drill hovered right before his eyes—so close another twitch would pierce them.
"Answer."
"S-Sorry! Yes, I drank! Wanted easy treatment! Truly sorry!"
He shouted more desperately than in confession. Incurring a mage's wrath scared him more than admitting sins to a priest.
The drill shrank and vanished like rewinding time. Galen had fed the water back to his spirit.
"There, there. It's fine. Up you go."
Lilia said gently. As the man hesitantly rose, she gave him a soft smile.
"I was gonna slice you open to check inside if you kept insisting, but good thing it's not that!"
The words weren't gentle at all. The man's face paled. Lilia continued with her sunny expression.
"Be careful next time, okay?"
"Y-Yes!"
"You can go."
"Thank you!"
The man bellowed his reply and bolted from the tent at top speed.
"Looks perfectly healthy to me."
Lilia smiled contentedly. Galen gave a wry chuckle and asked,
"You don't handle all patients like that, do you?"
"Palpation rarely goes that wrong, so I checked! Thanks to your help, it wrapped up quicker. Oh, right!"
Lilia clapped her palms together.
"That just now—was that your magic, brother?"
Her eyes began sparkling even brighter than before.